John McCain slams Donald Trump's attack on the Khans, says his views aren't the GOP's

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 1 August 2016

In a harsh statement released Monday, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) distanced both himself and the Republican Party from Donald Trump's rebuke of the family of slain Capt. Humayun Khan. Khan's parents spoke last week at the Democratic National Convention, offering remarks Trump has publicly taken issue with. Though the GOP may have chosen Trump as its presidential nominee, McCain wrote, "it is not accompanied by unfettered license to defame those who are the best among us":

Trump has said that Khizr and Ghazala Khan had "no right" to attack him in their speech about their late son's service in the Army; the Khans had urged Trump to end his divisive rhetoric about Muslims and in one of the most notable moments, Khizr Khan from the convention stage offered Trump his copy of the Constitution to read. In the days following the speech, Trump has pointed out that he, too, has "sacrificed" for the country by having "tremendous success," and questioned whether Ghazala Khan did not join her husband in speaking because her religion did not permit her to.

While McCain distanced himself from Trump's comments on the Khans, he has yet to walk back his endorsement of the Republican presidential nominee.